Palace to honor 4 cultural icons posthumously
MANILA, Philippines — Four cultural icons will posthumously receive the Presidential Medal of Merit on May 4 in recognition of their contributions to their respective fields, Malacañang announced on Wednesday.
The Presidential Communications Office said that national artist Nora Aunor, songstress Pilita Corrales, renowned chef Margarita Fores and veteran actress Gloria Romero will be conferred the medal first given to suffragette Rosa Sevilla in 1948.
The Presidential Medal of Merit is the seventh national honor in the order of precedence and was last bestowed on Olympian Carlos Yulo and traditional tattoo artist Whang-od Oggay in 2024.
READ: Gloria Romero, Queen of Philippine Cinema, dies at 91
Aunor, a national artist for film and broadcast arts, passed away on April 16 due to acute respiratory failure at the age of 71. She was laid to rest with state honors at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City on April 22, which President Marcos declared a day of national mourning.
READ: True artist for the people: Nora Aunor laid to rest
Called the “Superstar” of local showbiz and “Ate Guy” by her adoring fans, she made what many consider a lasting impact on Philippine entertainment through her movies that tackled sensitive subjects like poverty, faith, politics, injustice and Filipino identity.
Corrales, regarded as Asia’s Queen of Songs, died on April 12, ending a music career that spanned over six decades and influenced the landscape of Original Pilipino Music.
READ: Pilita Corrales, PH music icon; 85
Fores passed away on February 11 in Hong Kong due to cardiac arrest. She also left a mark in the culinary world after being named Asia’s Best Female Chef in 2016.
READ: Margarita Fores, celebrated chef and restaurateur, dies at 65
Romero, who passed away on Jan. 25 after a showbiz career that spanned over 70 years, earned multiple acting awards for her memorable performances in both film and television.
